replied Darriel.
“Guys, wait, I don’t have any curses and I’m definitely not a monster, at least I don’t know about it.” Max raised his hands in conciliation. “This is my start to the game. I appeared here.”
“Strange… it turns out that the artificial intelligence of the game made you a super difficult start.” The dwarf scratched his beard. “This location is not recommended to visit until level 20.”
“Accept the request to add to the group, I want to look at your characteristics. You have nothing to hide, do you, Max?” Daria-Darriel did not calm down.
Player Darieel invites you to join the group: Yes\No?
“Okay, but how do I do that?” Max asked, feeling insecure.
“Just agree, verbally,” Darriel replied.
“I agree,” said Max.
Quest “Allies\Enemies” Completed.
Description: In the cursed city you met a group of adventurers, uniting with them you found new allies.
Type: Random event.
Reward: Experience +15.
Experience to the next level: 1140 (+15) \1200
Now, Names and brief characteristics appeared above the heads of the new comrades. Just as Max’s characteristics must have become visible to them.
Name: Darriel (Ally) Race: Dark Elf Age: 32 Level: 21 (Master 1st stage) Class: Monster Hunter
Name: Redbird (Ally) Race: dwarf Age: 38 Level: 18 (Senior weaponsmith apprentice) Class: Weaponsmith
For some time, they studied new information about each other. The girl was a “dark” elf, or as they were also called drow, perhaps this explained her non-standard appearance for fair-skinned and clear-eyed elves.
“Time Keeper? What kind of class is that?” the archer was surprised.
“But now we know for sure that he is not a vengeful spirit,” the dwarf remarked.
“What kind of classes do you have, are they unique? I didn’t see anything like that in the task of choosing a game class,” Max asked.
“No, we have the most common ones,” Redbird waved his hand, “her ‘Monster Hunter’ is just one of the subspecies of ‘hunter’ or as it is also called ‘archer’, and ‘weaponsmith’ is a type of ‘merchant’, a craftsman selling his own goods, but I see one like yours for the first time, which god became your patron, Einar?”
“Einar?” Max raised his eyebrows in surprise, “why are you calling me that?”
“That’s your game name… I see it in your statistics. Role-playing is important for the game, those who do not immerse themselves in the Lore receive penalties from the system, so I advise you not to violate the game rules and respond to this name. So what god do you have, the one you serve?”
“My divine patron?” Max remembered the completion of the recent quest. “It’s the One.”
“It’s amazing, I’ve never heard of the One interfering in the affairs of people, accepting sacrifices, or giving quests,” said Darriel.
“And what kind of god is that?” Max asked.
“The supreme deity of the local pantheon. He is also called the Incomprehensible or the Creator, he is everywhere and nowhere, he is the law of the universe, order and chaos, he created all the worlds and retired, he is the god of balance, time and higher justice,” Redbird flashed his knowledge of the game lore.
“Redbird, my quest is closed!” the archer exclaimed, “the one to find a weapon capable of stopping the advance of the Light Alliance into the dark lands.” She finally lowered the crossbow, “He’s the weapon!”
“A boy with level 11? How will he be able to destroy the Alliance’s army of mercenaries? The gods truly have an inexplicable sense of humor,” the dwarf smirked.
“Artem, aren’t you overdoing it? You’re talking like a fifty-year-old,” Max laughed.
“I am almost fifty here in the game, so everything is within the rules. And what are your special abilities? What is your background, why did you appear here, are there any hints or tasks?” asked the dwarf.
“I don’t have a background, or rather I don’t know it. And from the skills: Teleportation,” Max replied.
“Really, show me?!” the elf admired.
“I haven’t used it even once yet. And I don’t know how to use the abilities,” Max confessed.
“Okay, it will happen at the right moment in the plot, you just need to move on,” the dwarf explained, “the game system calculates and prescribes each character their own unique story.”
“Yes,” the elf continued, “For example, Red’s parents’ caravan was attacked by bandits in childhood, and he scattered them with his magical surge of rage, thanks to which he and his family managed to escape. But then it reflected badly on him. Circumstances determined the choice of his unique ability, and this is a military ability, it is useless for a merchant. Therefore, he is 48 and he is still not a master weaponsmith. It’s hard to compete with those who have the blessing of the gods when you don’t.”
“And why not just become a warrior then?” Max asked.
“dwarf society is divided into castes, warriors are lower in the hierarchy of their state than merchants, so he must continue the work of his parents, despite the fact that he does not have the abilities for this,” Darriel replied, without thinking about the fact that her words might offend the dwarf.
“Is it necessary to spill other people’s secrets like that?” the dwarf quickly wound up and fell into a rage, “dwarfs live for 300 years, I will still have time to become a master. And you,” the dwarf poked a finger at Darriel, “with your sick head and visions will suffer for the rest of your life. She thrashes on the floor for half a day and there is no use from her.” he nodded to Max, “She groans like a cat in March! The chosen one must come… the weapon of retribution… it is nearby.” the dwarf rolled his eyes and waved his hands in the air depicting a fit.
The crossbow string clicked, the arrow grazed the dwarf’s cheek and pierced into the tree behind him.
“Don’t you dare talk to me like that, you… little bastard…” Darriel hissed.
System message: You have desecrated the holy place with bloodshed. Leave it or the curse of the One will fall upon you. Time remaining: 15 sec… 14… 13…
“What the… What have you done? What are we going to do now?! The temple is surrounded by Darks, and we can’t stay here now.” The dwarf grabbed his head with his hands. “Sator, tear me apart, why did I join a party with an elf… Divine curses are the worst thing in this world, we better go outside and let them tear us apart on the spot.”
“Maybe we’ll go up to the roof?” Max remembered his way up.
“That won’t work, we will still be considered within the radius of the holy land,” the dwarf replied.
“There is also an underground passage,” Max pointed to the round hatch cover in the floor, “but I don’t know where it leads.”
“Screw it! Let’s go!” The dwarf pried the hatch cover with a knife and, tearing it out of the entwining roots, jumped down. The elf pulled the arrow out of the trunk of the tree of life, putting her hand to it for a second, whispered “Sorry” and jumped after.
8… 7… 6…
Max had no choice but to follow them.
Underground, the system of passages